


You Could Search the World and Never Figure It Out

by apareciums, Chiharu



Category: Kuroko no Basuke | Kuroko's Basketball
Genre: Alternate Universe - Twins, Established Relationship, Lizzie McGuire AU, M/M, Missing Persons
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-10
Updated: 2015-09-10
Packaged: 2018-04-20 03:24:05
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,001
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4771628
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/apareciums/pseuds/apareciums, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chiharu/pseuds/Chiharu
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Akashi goes with Nijimura on vacation to Italy. Things do not go as they planned. Loosely inspired by the Lizzie McGuire Movie.</p>
            </blockquote>





	You Could Search the World and Never Figure It Out

**Author's Note:**

> This was written for Round 1 of SASO2015. Please treat the last image as an epilogue set some time after the fic ends.

Seijuurou knew something was amiss the moment his coin landed in the Trevi Fountain. It was strange for his aim to be off, and the anxiousness that's been boiling in his stomach since they stepped off the plane in Rome returns. Thankfully, Shuuzou chooses then to set a hand on Seijuurou's shoulder. "It's your turn to make a wish," Seijuurou says.

The grin that Shuuzou gives him is indulgent. "I'm in Italy with my best friend. I'm good."

Best friends, Seijuurou thinks, is an understatement. Still, he choses not to state the obvious and scoots closer to Shuuzou. Seijuurou think it’s a miracle that they made it here considering that this time last week, they were arguing over the spiciness of their curry and the size of Seijuurou’s designer suitcase. 

“Are we still fighting?” Shuuzou had asked, after dinner, while Seijuurou washed the dishes. Seijuurou had proposed, many times, that they move into one of Akashi’s Corp’s properties in Azabu. Yet every time Seijuurou pushed the issue, Shuuzou would scowl. If anything, he had thought the dishwasher in the refurbished suite spoke for itself. 

“I’m not sure, but I certainly hope not,” Seijuurou had replied, drying his hands on dish towels Shuuzou’s mother gifted them. 

“Okay,” Shuuzou had said, amusement evident in his voice, while pulling Seijuurou into a half-hug. “Me neither. And, I think you’re right. I will use one of your expensive suitcases, after all.”

“Good,” Seijuurou had replied, feeling slightly victorious and mostly relieved as Shuuzou flicked him lightly on the forehead. 

And now they’re in Rome, after Shuuzou spent the week grading papers for his summer students while Seijuurou closed deals at work. 

“What was your wish?” Shuuzou asks, now, as they weave along the streets lined with vendors. When Seijuurou doesn’t respond, Shuuzou pulls them towards a trapizzino stand. This continues for the rest of the afternoon--Seijuurou takes photos of interesting sights while Shuuzou checks items off his to-eat list. It’s a familiar reenactment of their college days, back when Shuuzou felt responsible for ensuring his middle school kouhai stayed fed while Seijuurou barreled his way through course work and his duties at Akashi Corp. 

Unfortunately, Seijuurou gets overzealous after sighting a cathedral and spends a while circling it for better angles while Shuuzou bargains over postcards. They agreed, early on, to return to their original spots in case they’re separated, so Seijuurou is surprised when he returns to find Shuuzou frowning. “Sorry that took so long,” Seijuurou says. “Is something wrong?”

Shuuzou makes a half-scrutinizing, half-annoyed face. “I made a fool of myself grabbing someone I mistook as you.” 

“Oh?” Seijuurou smiles. “That’s never happened.”

“Yeah,” Shuuzou murmurs, reaching to touch the base of Seijuurou’s neck. The July weather is humid and Seijuurou is definitely sweating, but he still leans into Shuuzou’s touch. “She was like your female doppelganger.” 

The feeling of misplacement intensifies as Seijuurou asks, “How so?”

Shuuzou considers this. “She looked just like you. Same hair. Same perfectly straight nose. Except for the eyes. Hers were two-toned. Wh-Sei?” He blinks when Seijuurou jerks away to scan the crowd.

“Which direction did she go?” Seijuurou asks quickly. He’s vaguely aware of the increasing urgency in his voice and the confused look on the older man’s face. 

The moment Shuuzou points towards the end of the street, Seijuurou sets off on a hurried dash. He ignores dirty looks from other pedestrians and worried shouts from Shuuzou as he scans the area for a hint of red. Seijuurou’s stopped from ramming into a group of tourists when a pair of arms pull him back, and Seijuurou almost pushes Shuuzou away before recognizing him.

“Sei!” Shuuzou snaps, looking concerned. “What’s gotten into you?”

“I need to-” Seijuurou looks around and shifts in Shuuzou’s hold. “I have to find her-”

The frown on Shuuzou’s face deepens. “What? Why? She must be gone by now.” When Seijuurou tries to jerk away, Shuuzou pulls him to his chest. “Breathe,” he commands, and for once, Seijuurou does as he’s told. “Tell me what’s wrong.”

Seijuurou responds by breathing in Shuuzou’s cologne. The scent is familiar and comforting. 

“Sei,” Shuuzou says in the tone that always preluded something Seijurou doesn’t want to hear. Sei, stop thinking so much. Sei, stop fighting with your father. Sei, don’t work yourself so hard. “What’s so special about that girl?”

It’s a question that Seijuurou has already asked himself. Growing up, Seijuurou always knew he inherited his looks from his mother. Crimson hair and ruby eyes dominated the photos his father kept of her. Yet, sometimes Seijuurou would find baby photos of himself with heterochromatic eyes, staring unblinkingly into the camera. Those were particularly unsettling, because he always seemed strange and unfamiliar in them. His father brushed it off with the explanation that Seijuurou's eyes changed overtime. Still, Seijuurou wondered.

He tells Shuuzou this much, once they’ve returned to the hotel. Outside of the window, the setting sun paints their surrounding a glowy, warm hue. Seijuurou had thought they’d enjoy the view when he first booked the room. Now he just feels restless. 

“You think that girl is related to you somehow,” Shuuzou says at last, watching Seijuurou nod. “But your mother passed when you were a toddler. You’re an only child.”

Seijuurou looks out of the window. “That’s what Father told me, but I did some research a few years ago. It seems that she tried filing for divorce before I was born, but that’s the most I discovered before Father found out.” That was the night he had stormed out of the estate and shown up at Shuuzou’s door, drenched in the rain. Shuuzou hadn’t asked for details, opting to pull Seijuurou into a hug. Back then, Seijuurou hadn’t understood why his heart beated out of his chest for Shuuzou. 

“That could mean a lot of things,” Shuuzou continues, his voice curious but cautious. When Seijuurou doesn’t reply, he walks up to the redhead, his chest pressed into Seijuurou’s back. “How important is this to you?”

“Enough to interrupt the vacation we’ve been planning for months,” Seijuurou replies quietly. Despite the tsk from Shuuzou, the older man doesn’t push away when Seijuurou leans back into him. “I’m sorry for asking this of you. I know you’ve been looking forward to this.”

His only response is a thoughtful hum from Shuuzou. “I’ve been looking forward to spending time with you. Your business is my business.” 

“Thank you,” Seijuurou says quietly, then, “I love you.”

Shuuzou hums. “Me too.”

Their search begins with Seijuurou calling Aomine. “You realize it’s 6am here, right?” Aomine growls on the other end. “This better be good.”

“I need your help,” Seijuurou says, which shuts Aomine up. “I need you to do research my parents and my mother’s death. While you’re going through hospital files, look up any related records under her name for December 20th.”

“Aren’t you supposed to be on vacation?” Aomine yawns, and Seijuurou feels his headache growing. “Is this a favor? Or a job? You know I have actual clients and cases waiting for me.”

“My secretary will send you a blank check,” Seijuurou says, watching Shuuzou emerge from a shower. “I’ll need as much information as you can gather within 24 hours.”

The pause that follows is uncharacteristic of Aomine. This is expected, Seijuurou thinks, for his former teammate turned detective. “Why now?” Aomine asks, no longer sounding sleepy. “And why are you asking me to look up hospital records for your birthday?”

While Aomine’s attention span had always been selective, a small part of Seijuurou always wondered if Aomine paid more attention than he let on. “I trust you,” Seijuurou says. “And I really need you to help me. We’re working on limited time.”

“So needy,” Aomine replies loudly. “Does Nijimura know you’ve come begging me for help?”

Seijuurou turns to look at a scowling Shuuzou. “He was the one who suggested I contact you. Now, he’s making a rude gesture with his hand. I assume it’s directed towards you.”

Aomine snorts. “Yeah, yeah, I’m on it. I’ll call back in 24 hours. Don’t think I’m not billing you for these international calls.”

By the time Seijuurou hangs up, Shuuzou is already dressed in his pajamas. “You’ve done the most you can for now,” he says, patting the spot next to him in bed. “Come sleep. Let’s search in the morning.” 

Searching is easier said than done. They return to where Shuuzou had run into the girl in the hopes that she’d return, to no avail. Seijuurou goes into shops and asks, in muddy Italian, if the owner has seen someone like him. This turns out to be largely unproductive, and Seijuurou entertains the idea of going to the police station to look up camera footages from the day prior. 

Shuuzou shoots the idea down immediately. “What are you going to tell the police? You’re looking for a stranger? ” He sighs when Seijuurou frowns intensely at the nearest street light. “It’s not like you to be so tactless.”

Tactless is a foreign label for Seijuurou. He can’t remember the last time he felt this uncertain, returning to the hotel at night with no progress. Seijuurou knows, intuitively, that the chances of finding anything would be slim. Still, the possibilities ate away at his logic and sparked something in him. Now, Seijuurou is left powerless to watch that spark die.

“Sei,” Shuuzou says after Seijuurou spends the duration of Shuuzou’s shower staring at Rome’s skyline, wondering if any of those lights housed the one person he wanted to find. “Stop sulking and come cuddle with me,” Shuuzou says in a tone that booked no arguments. When Seijuurou climbs into bed, Shuuzou turns off the light on the nightstand. 

“I’m not sulking,” Seijuurou mumbles, setting his forehead along Shuuzou’s shoulder. “I’m just… Tired, really.” His comment is greeted by silence.

“Why is this so important to you?” Shuuzou asks again, his voice low. “You must’ve known that...” He doesn’t finish the sentence, but Seijuurou understands. Even before his attempt at investigating in college, Seijuurou had always acknowledged the possibility of his mother being alive. Yet, he couldn’t bear the thought that his mother, a woman who always looked so kind in photographs, could leave him behind. The appearance of the girl changes everything.

“I never understood what it meant to have a family,” Seijuurou says at last, sighing when Shuuzou rakes his fingers through Seijuurou’s hair. “I always thought my father couldn’t stand to see me because I reminded him of my mother. It was easier to believe that she was dead. If she’s really alive…” Seijuurou closes his eyes. He wondered what was so terrible about him that drove her to leave-- to start her own family without him. “I suppose in the end, I resented her too.” 

The truth is that Seijuurou feared becoming his father and dreamed of fixing what he broke. Maybe then he could fix himself, too.

“I don’t think you resent her,” Shuuzou replies quietly. “Maybe you’re just torn because you want to love her.”

“Maybe.” Seijuurou whispers, closing his eyes.

They wake up six hours later to the sound of ringing. Seijuurou automatically reaches for his phone, sighing when Shuuzou makes a whining noise and tightens his arm around Seijuurou’s waist. “You’re late,” Seijuurou answers, his voice thick with sleep.

“I know,” Aomine replies on the other end, sounding equally tired. “But listen to this.”

 

 

 

The address Aomine found is a thirty minute cab ride from their hotel, and Seijuurou spends the trip trying to stop his hands from shaking until Shuuzou sets a firm hand over Seijuurou’s knee, calming his nerves. When they’re dropped off at their destination, Shuuzou loops his fingers through Seijuurou’s and pulls him onto the property.

The villa that greets them is no larger than Seijuurou’s second home in Kyoto. After Seijuurou spends five minutes hesitating at the front door, Shuuzou rings the doorbell for him. Unprepared, Seijuurou steps out of view before the door opens. 

“Yes?” A bored voice says. 

“Is Mayuzumi-san home?” Shuuzou asks immediately.

“I’m Mayuzumi,” the man says. “Do you need something?”

From his spot, Seijuurou can see Shuuzou rub the back of his neck. “I’m looking for the Mayuzumi-san who was friends with Akashi Shiori twenty-five years ago.”

Mayuzumi pauses. “That person no longer lives here.” 

A feeling of dread rises in the pit of Seijuurou’s stomach. He’d known, when Aomine first called, that this could be a dead end. All Aomine had been able to find were known associates of his mother more than two decades ago, one of whom was linked to an address in Rome.

“Do you know of Akashi Shiori-san?” Shuuzou says. 

“Exactly who are you?” Mayuzumi asks. “Why should I tell you anything? How are you related to Shiori-san?”

“Well, I-” Shuuzou begins to say, but shrugs and gives Seijuurou a look. 

Seijuurou chooses then to step forward. “I’m her son, Akashi Seijuurou.”

The silence that follows is suffocating as Mayuzumi, a pale man with light colored hair, stares at Seijuurou with his mouth open. “Seina, you-” Something stirs in his eyes and Mayuzumi frowns. “Shit.”

“I’m looking for my mother… If she’s still alive.”

Mayuzumi gives him a strange look. “She’s alive.”

“Is she still in the area?” Seijuurou asks, his voice sounding foreign. 

“No. She left years ago.”

When Seijuurou fails to formulate a proper response, Shuuzou asks, “We’re also looking for a girl who looks like Sei. Do you know anything about her?”

If possible, Mayuzumi looks even more sullen. “Why should I tell you anything?” 

“This… Seina, that you speak of--we encountered her a few days ago. If she’s still in Rome, then I must find her.” Seijuurou takes a step forward as Mayuzumi’s scowl deepens. “I can’t explain to you how tremendous this is, but it is of the utmost importance that I meet her. I believe we are related.”

Mayuzumi snorts. “You’re just as annoying and bossy as her, I can tell you that.”

“Will you give us her contact information?” Shuuzou asks.

Mayuzumi glares, which is what Seijuurou expects. “No. I’ll contact her.” He pauses when Seijuurou pulls out the business card from their hotel.

“We’re staying here,” Seijuurou explains. “Our room number and contact information are on the back. We leave Rome in five days. Please tell her to come find me before then.”

“Master suite, huh?” Mayuzumi tsks after reading the card. “I’ll see what I can do. Now get off my lawn.”

 

 

It’s late in the afternoon when they return to the hotel, where Shuuzou falls face flat on their newly made bed. “I never knew finding one’s long forgotten sibling would be so exhausting,” he mumbles into the bedsheets.

Seijuurou laughs and grabs a water bottle from the fridge. He sits on the bed and gently nudges Shuuzou, who accepts the drink gratefully. “Should we grab a late lunch?” 

Shuuzou turns his head to glance at Seijuurou. “Can we spend the rest of the day here? We could order room service and have it on the patio. The flowers in the garden are in full bloom. I passed by it earlier and thought you’d like them, or something.”

“I’d like that.” Seijuurou smiles.

After deciding on the lunch special, Seijuurou makes a last minute call to have a bottle of Vietti Villero delivered. Somehow, this makes Shuuzou groan. “We don’t always have to order the most expensive wine on the menu.”

Seijuurou blinks. “I don’t see the problem. We’re on vacation, and moreover, I’m paying for it.”

“That is the problem,” Shuuzou groans.

“It’s not a waste when it’s for our enjoyment.” 

“Well, we don’t need every single luxury. I just want to enjoy being here, with you,” Shuuzou says slowly.

If they weren’t arguing, Seijuurou would’ve found Shuuzou’s exasperated expression almost comical. Instead, he says, “I like to spoil you, and I want you to feel like you can rely on me.” 

“I do rely on you, Sei. I wish you would trust me to take care of myself, and you, in my own way. You always make these big decisions for the both of us.”

Something clicks in Seijuurou’s head. “Are you still upset that I want us to move into the new condo?” His heart sinks when Shuuzou grunts in confirmation. Seijuurou takes a deep breath. “I thought we agreed on this.” 

Shuuzou shrugs. “It did end in an argument. You tend to be a bit stubborn when you’re preoccupied with an idea--kind of like your old man.” 

“I’m not like him,” Seijuurou replies immediately. He’s upset, and Shuuzou must’ve recognized the tone, as he pulls him to sit on Shuuzou’s lap. 

“Sorry,” Shuuzou mumbles. 

Seijuurou tucks his head on Shuuzou’s chest. “I want to find Seina.” 

“You’ll find her. Don’t worry about it. You always find a way to get what you want.” 

This makes Seijuurou look up, eyes hardening. “What do you mean by that?”

After an eternity, Shuuzou says, “I’m sorry. It’s been a long day, I’m tired.” 

“You’re not one to make excuses,” Seijuurou challenges.

“I’m on your side, Sei.” Shuuzou reminds him softly. “Sometimes, you have the tendency to be so engrossed in something wholeheartedly, it becomes unhealthy.”

“This is important to me, Shuuzou.”

“I know, Sei. It’s not the end of the world if you don’t find Seina. She’s not your only family.” 

“But she is,” Seijuurou replies sharply. The next part comes out seethingly polite and cutting in a way that makes Seijuurou hate himself. “I don’t understand how you, someone who lost an important family member, cannot understand.”

Hurt flashes across Shuuzou’s face before it’s masked by something easier--anger, maybe. 

“If that’s all you have to say, I’m leaving.” Shuuzou jerks away and grabs his necessities while Seijuurou watches, stunned at both Shuuzou and himself. “That’s the problem, Sei. You become so warped in your ideal vision, you’ll do anything to achieve it. Nothing else matters.” 

Then he’s gone. 

 

 

The flowers in the garden are indeed lovely, Seijuurou notes while staring aimlessly at a rose bush. He sits down on the bench and replays today’s events in his head. This fight, he supposes, was inevitable. Seijuurou sighs to himself and, against years of etiquette training, slumps against the bench. He pauses when a pair of oxford shoes step into his vision. 

“Well, you look happy,” a female voice says, and Seijuurou snaps his head up to find himself- no, Seina standing in front of him. Despite the eerie resemblance, her face is not an exact replica of his, per say. There’s something sharper about her heterochromatic eyes. Seina gives him a strange smile and says, “Chihiro was right.”

“Who?” Seijuurou asks, for lack of anything else to say.

Seina takes a seat on the bench. “Mayuzumi. You rudely interrupted him this morning, or so he claims.” The smirk she gives him is familiar, and Seijuurou wants to ask if she makes a habit of calling people by their first name. He wants to ask her a lot of things. “Well? Don’t you have anything to say?” She looks at him expectedly.

“You’re… Different, from what I’ve imagined,” Seijuurou replies at last. 

The annoyance on Seina’s face is balanced by the rise of her eyebrows, suggesting mild amusement. “I’ve heard that before. So, Seijuurou, what are you doing in Italy?”

It takes a moment for the realization to sink in. “How long have you known that I existed? Why didn’t-”

Thankfully, Seina is not one for small talk. “A few years. Mother never talked about our infamous father, but it was easy to research him once I had enough information.” She pauses, her face now schooled into an expression of neutrality. “You too--former basketball champion and rising star of the business world, bred from old money. Why didn’t I come find you? I’m just a brat with no manners.”

Seijuurou watches his sister carefully. “I doubt that’s true. You have a lot more than you realize,” he says. 

“Like what?” The disbelief in her voice is almost palpable.

“Mother,” he reminds her gently and watches as her face softens. 

“Huh,” she says. “Perhaps things weren’t so smooth for you either.” They sit in silence for a moment before she repeats, “Why are you in Italy?”

Seijuurou contemplates the importance of first-impressions with one’s long lost sibling. “Vacation with my boyfriend.”

Seina smirks as she flips hair behind her shoulder. “That’s what I suspected.” 

“And you?” Seijuurou asks, unsure of how to respond. “Do you live here?”

“I live in a small town in Upper Normandy. City living was bad for mother’s health, so we relocated. She likes it there. It’s quiet.” Seina stops. “How’s Tokyo?”

Seijuurou pauses. “Loud and hectic.” He’s not surprised that mother left. “Are you here to visit Mayuzumi?”

Seina looks almost offended. “No. I’m a musician, actually. I’m performing at a local music award ceremony. You’ll like my EP. Remind me to give you a copy.”

The casual hint of another meeting lifts a weight off Seijurou’s chest. “That’s presumptuous,” he says, testing the waters. “How do you know I’ll like it?”

“I’m always right.” Seina smirks. “Now, where’s this illustrious boyfriend of yours?”

“We’re… Going through a difficult patch.”

“Tell me about it,” Seina demands, and Seijuurou complies. For someone he’s just met, Seina takes everything rather well. Eventually, she says, “So you’re the immature one.”

Seijuurou opens his mouth. “Pardon?” 

“You got into a quarrel over me, a family member you’ve never met, with the love of your life, who may as well be family,” Seina summarizes. “You are definitely the childish twin. Mother would agree with me on this one.”

“Do you think I could meet her sometimes?” He asks quietly, which makes her smile.

“She’d like that,” Seina says, nudging him a little with her shoulder. “However, there’s something else you need to do first.”

 

 

He finds Shuuzou at the Trevi fountain, sitting along the edge as he glares into the distance. The way Shuuzou broods is pitiful: his arms are crossed, eyebrows furrowing, and he’s grumbling to nobody in particular. 

Seijuurou lets out a light chuckle. The sound startles Shuuzou, who masks his surprise with darkened expressions. 

“What are you doing here?” Shuuzou asks. 

“I’ve come to make amends,” Seijuurou replies hopefully. 

Shuuzou turns around to glance at the fountain and hums. “I’m listening.”

Seijuurou steps closer. “I was out of line when I made that comment. I apologize. You have every right to be angry.” 

After a few seconds, Shuuzou sighs and extends his hand. Seijuurou smiles weakly, and doesn’t complain when Shuuzou pulls him in. 

“I’m not angry because of that. It’s upsetting when you disregard other people’s feelings because you believe so strongly in yours,” Shuuzou explains.

“Ah, this is about Seina.”

Shuuzou sighs. “I’m happy you discovered she and your mother exist, but they’re not your only family. I’m here too.”

They stand in suspended silence until Seijuurou says, “Seina found me. We chatted.”

“Shit, Sei… Sorry for not being there.”

“I’m not bothered. She’s nothing I expected, but everything I wanted. Still, we’re different people. She has her own life, and I have you.”

Shuuzou gently thumbs Seijuurou’s palm. “Charming.” 

“Do you remember when we made a wish here? I spent years dreaming about having a real family until I realized it was right in front of me. You were right in front of me.” 

The teasing nudge he gets from Shuuzou sets off laughter from them. Eventually, Shuuzou kisses him, effectively shutting him up. “I’ll take any form of you. I’m so in love with you, Sei, I’ll follow you anywhere. I’d move into a shoebox with you. Fighting with you is awful.”

“Same.” Seijuurou smiles. “But first, let’s go back. There’s someone I want you to meet.”

Later, Seijuurou says, “Hi.”

“Hey.”

“You’re wonderful.”

“You are, too.”

“Will you be my date to Seina’s performance?”

A flick on the forehead. “You’re unbelievable.”


End file.
